Automatic packing machine



' Ni NVENTOR.

lhllej V ea/2e w HTTDRNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet l V. V. PEONE AUTOMATIC PACKING MACHINE June 24, 1952 Flled Feb 24 1948 June 24, 1952 v. v. PEONE 2,601,454

AUTOMATIC PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1948 a Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Vd/ky V Pea/i6 HTTORNEY June 24, I952 v. v. PEQNE 2,601,454

AUTOMATIC PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1948 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 wr ng n IT 9 l ELIE IN V EN T 0R.

14 TTORWE Y Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC PACKING MACHINE Valley V. Peone, Spokane, Wash. Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,4'l1

11 Claims. (01. 226-25) is adapted for use with various fluent materials it is especially designed for use with flour as hereinafter described. and while I have utilized an electric motor and its controls for feeding the flour, and compressed air for automatically controlling parts of the machine or appliance, it will be understood that power other than electric power and fluid pressure other than compressed air may be employed in operating and controlling the machine.

In the operation of packing the flour in bags or sacks the bag is manually placed in position for filling and this manually operated movement of the bag is utilized in controlling pneumatic means for activating a vertically movable piston-driven positioning table for supporting the bag while it is being filled; and compressed air is employed for automatically stopping and cutting oii the feeding mechanism when a predetermined optimum bulk or weight of the flour has been deposited in the bag. Means are also employed for automatically ejecting or displacing the filled bag from its supporting table, and for conveying the filled bag to a station where the bag is closed.

Theinvention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged in accordance with one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view, in elevation showing a flour packing machine in which my invention is physically embodied.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of ,a portion of the machine disclosing the switch-controlling mechanism for the electric motor, and some of the compressed-aircontrols together with the automatically operated master valve for the fluid pressure.- t

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on a horizontal plane justabove the table and ejector cylinder and looking down.

Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6, show respectively the master valve in draining position; in position to sustain the graduallylowering supporting table; and in position for raising or lifting the table to operative position.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the pneumatic control for measuring or weighing the filled bag. i t

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the control valve mechanism for the ejecting means.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view at line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the ejection control valve of Fig. 8; i n

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable frame here shown as consisting of two upright posts i, I, having a cross head from which is suspended and supported a funnel shaped hopper 2 that is supplied with flour froma suitable source through the supply pipe 3, and the feed spout 4 of the hopper is equipped with an interior helical or spiral conveyor 5. The conveyor is operated for a positive and controlled feed of flour through the spout of the funnel with power from an electric motor 6 mounted at the top of the main frame, and a chain drive 1 drives the vertically mounted conveyor shaft 8 to feed the flour from the lower end of the spout of the funnel shaped hopper.

An empty bag (not shown) is manually slipped up around the feed spout 4 until its interior bottom contacts the lower edge of the spout, and then a vertically reciprocable horizontally disposed table 9 is automatically raised under fluid pressure until it contacts the bottom of the bag and supports the bag.

The upward movement of the table is accomplished by air pressure beneath a piston I0 located in a cylinder ll mountedupon a floor or other suitable support, and the piston, which has an open center or port, is provided with a tubular rod I2 opening through the port into the bottom of the cylinder, and with the upper end of the piston rod firmly attached to the underside of the table. i

Admission of air under pressure to the cylinder and the tubular piston rod is controlled by the operator who strikes the cross head 13a 10- cated in the path of the upper edge of the bag, and carried by angular lever l3 which is pivoted at M on the inner side of one of the posts I. An arm of the angular lever depends along the outside of the post and its lower end terminates in a head l5 that is adapted to contact and coact with a valve arm l6 of a three way master control compressed air valve I! mounted in upright position adjacent the post.

Air under pressure from a suitable compressor is supplied through pipe and port H! to the valve I l, and a pressure pipe I 9 from the valve extends to and is connected with the lower end of the cylinder ll beneath piston I 0. a

As best seen in Fig. 6 the master valve is provided with an interior port 20, which, when the valve is turned by co-action of the head l5 and the valve arm It, connects the supply and pressure pipes for conveying the fluid pressure to the interior of the cylinder and its tubular piston rod l2.

To limit and stop the upward movement of the table under air pressure, and to sustain the uplifted table, the port is closed by turning the valve from position of Fig. 6 to position of Fig. 5, and this movement of the master valve is accomplished by movement of the table which is equipped with an angular adjustable stoparm 2! attached, as by welding to the metallic table top, and the upturned end of the stop arm has a spring pressed pawl 22 mounted thereon beneath and in line with the valve arm I6. As the upwardly moving table nears the end of its movement, the pawl contacts with the arm, and the latter is swung to turn the valve to cut off the supply of compressed air, thus retaining the pressure within the cylinder and tubular piston rod.

As thus described it will be apparent that the vertically reoiprocable table may be lifted, by the described air-motor, in position for supporting and sustaining the bag that has been applied to the spout of the funnel-shaped hopper, and the stop mechanism automatically cuts off the fluid pressure from the supply source, leaving the uplifted table in sustained position. Means are provided for reducing or relieving the sustaining air pressure in order that the table may be depressed by the compression of the flour in the container by the spiral conveyor 5 and also the weight of flour that is loaded in the bag, as will be described.

Simultaneously with this cutting off .of the supply'of compressed air to the master valve, the electric motor 6 is energized to drive the helical conveyor 5 and feed the flour into the waiting bag.

A conventional motor control switch for the electric motor is enclosed within a casing 27 mounted on an exterior face of one of the posts I, and this switch is closed to energize the motor by movement of the table as it reaches its upward initial position for reception of the flour fed from the funnel. For this purpose a switch-control actuating, arm 23 of angular shape is adjustably mounted on an upright frame 24 that is mounted as by welding on the table 9 and the horizontal portionof the angular arm terminates at the outer side of the post in a slide collar 25 with an upright pendant arm 26 of the casing 21. The upper end of the suspended arm 26 is operatively connected with theelectric switch in the casing 21, and a spring 28 is coiled about the depending switch arm and interposed between a fixed collar 29 and the casing or box 2?. As the table reaches the end of its upward movement the, slide collar 25 contacts with the fixed collar 25} to lift the switch arm 26 and close the switch for energizing the feed motor.

For retaining the switch in closed position and energizing the motor until the bag has been filled with flour to an optimum weight or quantity, a' spring pressed detent 3a is mounted in and projected from a casing 3i attached to the post i, and the detent is in position to engage a notch 32 on the lower end of the switch arm, thereby latching the switch in closed position.

As the fluent flour is fed into the bag, the accumulating weight of the load on the table and the compression by conveyor 5 depresses the table While an auxiliary reducing or reiieving air valve 33, opening through the casing of the master valve to an enlarged port 3 3, gradually reduces the pressure in the cy1in= der H and the tubular piston'rod l2; the port 25 being closed, and a drain port D of the master valve also being closed, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The pressure reducing valve 33 is adjustable by means of a screw 35 threaded in the casing of the valve, and a tension spring 36 (Fig. 4) bearing on the valve may be adjusted to permit reduction of air pressure and allow the table with the bag of flour to descend to a predetermined point. Should the feed of flour cease for any reason, the descent of the table and bag is stopped thereby equalizing the air pressure in the cylinder to a degree lower than the tension of the reducing valve, and the latter is automatically closed against further escape of compressed air from the cylinder, leaving the table and bag in stationary position.

In such an emergency, when the feed of flour is resumed and thereby increasing the weight on the table, the table gradually descends causing an increased air pressure that opens the reducing valve against the predetermined set of its tension spring for escape of air under pressure from the cylinder.

When an optimum predetermined quantity or Weight of flour, ten pounds for instance, has been fed into the bag, the loaded package and the table create a pressure within the cylinder greater than that created by the feeding pressure of the conveyor 5, and at this time a weighing or metering mechanism (Fig. 7) is automatically activated.

The activation of this fluid pressure metering mechanism is instrumental in opening the control switch 21 of the electric motor 6; the motor is stopped, transmission of power to the conveyor 5 ceases, and the feed of flour through the discharge spout is cut off. Simultaneously or directly thereafter, the master control valve I1 is turned to' draining position in Fig. 4 where air pressure may be drained through the exhaust or drain port D from the valve, and the master valve is closed against admission of air from the compressor.

The fluid pressure operated metering appliance, as seen in Fig. 7 includes a compressed air servo-motor having a double conical casing 3? which is connected by a threaded nipple 38 to the tubular piston rod l2 directly beneath the table 9, and the tubular piston rod opens through its piston [0 into the lower end of the cylinder II. A transversely arranged diaphragm 39 is mounted in the vented casing and equipped with a 1aterany extending pmn'ger rod 40 having a plunger 4; reoiprocapie in its cylinder 42-, a spring 43 being provided for retracting the diet p'hralgm and the'plunger. A reduced extension 4'4 of the cylinder 42 forms a housingfor'a lon gitudinal'lyreciprocable and headed barre that is equipped at its onter'free end with a cainhead 46.

In Figs. 1 and 2, where the electric motor is operating, the" servo-motor 3"! under air pressure has projected thede'tent, depressor, or cam head 4e, and the latter by frictional engagement with a foot or lug 4'1 of a slide bolt 48 has depressed and is holding down the spring lifted loolt. The spring liftedslidebolt I48 ise uippoo with a "compressionfspringfie and mounted iniipr'ightp'dsi tion in bearings 56 of an upright guide bracliet orro'd 5| attached to the inner sideof one of the posts I. A spring retracted pawi 52 is mounted in an adjustable housing 53 that is fixed'set a screw 54 in set position, on, and travelsw'ith the spring bdlt ilLdnd the pawl is locate-d n posi' tiori so that when lowered with the bolt it will contact an arm 55 of the master valve. l'Ehe valve is thus turned to position in Fig. 4 where the supply is cut on, and pressure from thebylinder and tubular piston rod is drained through drain valve D.

Simultaneously with this turning movement of themaster va1ve,'a third arm 55 of the master y valve lever, 'strik'esjagainst and retracts the pawl or detent 30 from the notched end 32 of the suspended switch control arm 28, and then the spring 28 depresses arm 25 to open the switch in casing 2! thereby deenerg'iz'ing the motors; the motor having a standard type of brake that is instrumental in stopping the flour feeding mechanisin.

Now, with the master valve in position of Fig. 4 and compressed air draining from the cylinder and tubular piston rod through the drain D of the master valve, the table with 'its package descends to the position of Fig. 1, and the filled bag is in position to be pushed horizontally, or ejected fromthe table, and carried or conve ed to the next station for closing and completing the package. I

The horizontally disposed ej" ting mechanism, as seeniri Fig. 3 includes a compressed air servomotor having a semi-circular ejecting" head or pusher 5i conforming to the shape of the package and adapted to be projected across and over the table top for pushing the package therefrom. The ejector head 51 is mounted on the exterior end of an ejecting rod 58 extending into the cylinder 59 of the motor, and the rod is provided with an interior piston 60 as shown by dotted lines.

The reciprocating movement of the ejector is guided by means of a pair of exterior guide rods GI and 62, attached at their front ends to the ejector head E'Land these rods slide in bearings e3 mounted on theexterior of the cylinder;

The admission of compressed air to and exhaust of air drom the motor-cylinder is automatically regulated and controlled by an ejectorvalve 8| oi the rotary type which is mounted by pin 82 and spring 83 in a cylindrical casing e4, interposed in the compressed air system of the machine adjacent the ejector-motor. The valve is provided with a compressed air supply pipe 55, and two alternate pressure and exhaust pipes as 66 leading to the front end of the motor cylinder, and pipe 61 leading to the rear end of the cylinder, at opposite sides of the piston 60.

The operation or the ejector-motor is governed through the rotary adjustment of the valve 61, "and the valve is adjusted or actuated by the finaldesceiidihg movement of the table 8 Fig. 8) as it contacts with a bell crank 1ever Ba pivoted at-6 in a stationary'tr aoket 10.

The bell crank 68 is 'pivotally connected, by a reciproca'blel ink H, to the rotary valve lever or arm 1: that is fastened on the upper exterior end (if the valve stein 82, anuthe oscillating movement "of the bell 'ci ank is thus translated into rotary adjustment of the valve.

Due to the descending movement of the table the valve 8] is turned tojtheposition of Figs. 9 arid I0, and compressed air f roni the supply pipe 65 is thus admitted to the interior or the valve casing above the valve; and from the interior of the casingthe fluid pressure is extended through two alined orts 13 and 14, and thence through pipe 61 into the rear end of the ejector cylinder behind the piston 65. T'J'hder this fluid pressure againsttnepiston the ejector 51 is projected and the bag ofnour is pushed across and from the tame 9. as the ejector-is projected, air from the front end 6f the motor cylinder is exhausted through pipe 66 to the port 1501'? the valve casing into an exhaust chamber 16 of the valve, and thenout through the central exhaust port 71 of the valve easing.

For retracting or withdrawing-the ejector under fluid pressure after its working stroke, contro1 e s are employed including a pam 18 mounted at the rear end or one of the g'ii ide rods, 'as '62,

v in position "to contact the valve Iei'ief' 1'2 at the end ofthe workingstroke. jrnus the "valve at is turned counterclockwise in Fig. 9 to disconnect intake po'r't 13"ff6h1t 1'1e asing T4, and chamber 16 from easi g port 15; and at t e same time to connect port 19 of the valve with port 15 of the casing and vaive ort at witnport 14 and its chamber 84 with the drain port 11 of the casing.

In this position of the valve, an ressure is applied in the front end or the cylinder against the piston, to restore the ejector to position for another pushing operation, and the cylinder is exhausted from its rear end.

In Fig. 1 a portion of a horizontally disposed conveyor or endless belt 85 is illustrated as passing around a roller 86 journaled in bearings of a support or upright 84; and the belt is in position to "receive the ejected package from the table and convey the package to a desired destination.

Havin thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters i ateht is:

'1. in an automatic packing machine having a feeding funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, the combination with a fluid pressure o eratedmotor, and a vertically reciprocable table aimed with the feeding funnel and operated by the motor, of amaster-valve controlling the motor, a valve-operating arm, and means movable with the table for ctr-action with said arm for stopping the upward movement of the table.

2. in an automatic packin machine having a feeding funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, the combination with a fluid pressure motor, and a vertically reciprocable table operated by the motor 'ahd alihd with the funnel, of a master-valve controlling the motor and a valve arm, manually operated means co-acting with said arm to start lifting action of the motor, and means carried by the table and co-acting 7 with said arm to locate the tablein sustaining position for the container.

3. In anautomatic packing machine having a feeding funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, the combination with a fluid pressure motor, and a vertically movable table lifted by the motor and alined with the funnel, of a master valve and valve arm controlling the motor, a manually operated table-starting lever for co-action with said arm, and means cooperating with said arm for stopping the upwardly moving table in sustaining position for the container.

4. In an automatic packing machine having a feeding funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, a feed-conveyor in the funnel, and a motor for operating the feed-conveyor, the combination with a fluid pressure motor, and a vertically reciprocable table operated by the fluid pressure motor and alined with the funnel, of a master valve having an operating arm and controlling the fluid pressure motor, manually actu ated means co-acting with said arm for starting lifting action of the fluid pressure motor to locate the table in sustaining position for the container, and means carried by the table for starting the feed-motor.

5. In an automatic packing machine having a feed funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, a conveyor in the funnel, an electric motor for the conveyor, and a control switch for the motor, of a fluid pressure motor and a table adapted to be lifted thereby in line with the funnel, a master valve having an arm and controlling the fluid pressure motor, a table starting lever located in the path of the fitted container for coaction with said arm, means actuated by upward movement of the table for co-action with said arm in stopping its movement, and means activated by upward movement of the table for closing the switch.

6. In an automatic packing machine having a feed funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, a conveyor in the funnel, an electric motor having a brake for the conveyor, and a control switch for the motor, of a fluid pressure motor and a table adapted to be lifted thereby in line with the funnel, a master valve having an arm and controlling the fluid pressure motor, a table-starting lever in the path of the fitted container for co-action with the arm, a resiliently retained bolt carried by the table for coaction with the arm in stopping the lift of the table, and means movable with the table for closing the switch.

7. In an automatic packing machine having a feed funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, a conveyor in the funnel, an electric motor for the conveyor, and a control switch for the motor, of a fluid pressure motor and a table adapted to be lifted thereby in line with the funnel, a master valve having an arm and controlling the fluid pressure motor, a tablestarting lever in the path of the fitted container for co-action with said arm, a resiliently retained bolt movable with the table for co-action with the arm in stopping the lift of the table, a resiliently depressed switch-closing arm, and a bracket arm mounted on the table in position to enact with and lift the switch closing arm.

8. In an automatic packing machine having a feed funnel adapted to receive a manually fitted container, an electric motor having a control switch, a feed conveyor in the funnel operated by the motor, and a compressed air system including a master valve, the combination with an air motor alined with the funnel and operated by said motor, of a vertically reciprocable table operated by the air motor, table-starting means in the path of the fitted container co-acting with the master valve, table-stopping means movable with the table for coaction with the master valve, and switch-closing means actuated by the upward movement of the table for starting the feed motor.

9. In a measuring mechanism for an automatic packing machine including a support and an upright bracket thereon, and having a pneumatic operating system, the combination with a pressure cylinder, a piston and a tubular piston rod open to the interior of the cylinder, and a weight-depressible table mounted on the piston, of a pneumatic master valve having a control arm, a resiliently mounted slide bolt mounted on the bracket for co-action with said arm in releasing pressure from the cylinder, a pneumatic servo-motor mounted on and communicating with the tubular piston rod, and a retractible depressor actuated by the servo-motor for coaction with the slide bolt.

10. In an automatic packing machine, the combination with an elevated funnel having a rotary feed conveyor, an electric motor operating the conveyor, and a closed control switch for the motor, of a pneumatic cylinder having a piston and piston rod alined with the funnel, a weightdepressible air-sustained table mounted on the piston rod, pneumatic operating means for withdrawing sustaining air pressure from the cylinder below the piston, and mechanical resiliently operated means for opening the switch.

11. In a pneumatically controlled system for an automatic packing machine including a weight-depressible, pressure-elevated and sustained table for supporting a container, the combination with a rotary three-way master valve having an outlet port and a spaced drain port, and resiliently controlled means for closing said outlet port, of means for operating the valve to lift the table, means for operating the valve to release pressure from the sustained table, and means for operating the valve for draining pressure from the table.

VALLEY V. PEONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 691,537 Ericson Jan. 21, 1902 714,875 Doble Dec. 2, 1902 1,037,015 Joplin Aug. 27, 1912 1,077,808 Cornwall Nov. 4, 1913 1,454,276 Harding May'8, 1923, 1,499,338 Bond July 1, 1924 1,611,800 Ziegner Dec. 21, 1926 1,842,912 McNamara 1 Jan. 26, 1932 1,868,844 lNaeher July 26, 1932 2,244,718 Long June 10, 1941 

